06/05/2023
Atopic dermatitis: What you need to know
1. How to recognize atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis can affect any area of the skin, but it is most common in the hands and in the folds (knees, elbows, etc.). The symptoms flared up in waves, then subsided and after a while they would return. Therefore, this disease greatly affects the quality of life, making patients tired and uncomfortable.
Atopic dermatitis often progresses in stages, in acute episodes, the patient sees an area of red and itchy skin. The degree of itching is sometimes very severe, especially at night, making it difficult for the patient to sleep. As the disease subsides, the skin will turn brown, gray, or leave thick patches of skin from excessive rubbing.
Due to the itch many patients have to scratch, the diseased skin is very easy to scratch, can become infected, the lesion will be inflamed, pus-filled, and has a bad smell. Chronic itching and prolonged rubbing cause thickening of the skin. Skin characteristics of patients with atopic dermatitis are often dry, cracked.
2. What causes atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is a familial allergic and immunological disease. The exact cause of atopic dermatitis is still unclear. Some hypothesize that because the skin is too dry and easily irritated, and at the same time, disorders in the innate immune system can also cause itchy rashes on the skin. Accordingly, this condition can have an early onset from infancy as well as many family members with asthma, allergic rhinitis ...
Several other factors are thought to make dermatitis more likely to start or worsen symptoms, such as taking too long or hot showers, changing soaps, temperature changes, sweating, lips. environments with low humidity, wearing woolen or man-made clothing, woolen wool, exposure to dust, animal hair, cigarette smoke, or eating certain foods that are susceptible to allergies such as eggs, milk, fish, soybeans or wheat... In general, looking for the cause sometimes requires very intensive testing but is not always definitive. Therefore, patients are often recommended to avoid the triggers listed above, in order to limit the possibility of disease onset.
3. Is atopic dermatitis dangerous?
Because atopic dermatitis manifests itself in episodes, then self-resolves, with mild cases, most do not cause dangerous complications. However, if the patient is itchy and has to scratch a lot, long, pointed nails and poor hygiene can cause skin infections. The structure of the skin is broken, sores and skin cracks are infected by bacteria that reside on the skin or even foreign bacteria. Therefore, when the wound on the skin heals again, it can leave bad scars, causing cosmetic loss.
The case of superinfection with the virus causing Kaposi-juliusberg syndrome (or eczema herpeticum) is quite severe, presenting with fever, fatigue, skin blisters, organ damage... the mortality rate is 1-9. %.
In addition, due to chronic diseases lasting many years, if treated incorrectly, overuse of topical or oral corticosteroids can lead to systemic redness. The patient's whole body is red, there may be episodes of fever, chills, frequent itching...
Atopic dermatitis in the skin around the eyes makes the patient uncomfortable, itchy, and the skin around the eyes is dark due to frequent scratching, affecting aesthetics. Excessive scratching causes scratches on the skin that can become infected. Eye complications include persistent lacrimation, eyelid inflammation, and conjunctivitis. If eye complications are suspected, see a doctor as soon as possible.
4. What to do when you have atopic dermatitis?
When there are signs of atopic dermatitis as described, it is advisable to visit a dermatologist to confirm the disease and rule out other diagnoses. When you go to the doctor, you should let the doctor know how uncomfortable the signs are, when the disease started and how long it lasts.
In addition, it is also important to mention any factors that are thought to trigger the disease, such as changing weather, using soap, sweating, cigarette smoke... Besides, the doctor also needs to know if you have Food allergies or allergies or not, anyone in the family has similar disease or not.
